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Re: New element for Step alternatives?


>Just a little concerned that after you have made such a decision,
>you 'take a step' / carry out an action, so the semantics are right,
>just that you have some conditionality on each step?
	
>DaveP
	
Hi Dave-

"Steps" imply sequence, that the action should occur in a linear fashion--
first you do X, then you do Y...etc. and "Branches" represent choices--
an either/or, or the selection of one possibility from 3 or 4 options.

So yes, in our proposal, the Alternatives container and Branch child would 
semantically represent conditionality or choice of actions, and Step will 
continue to represent a sequence of actions.

Having said that, perhaps my sample markup of the "If Volume Manager is 
running" doesn't provide enough context of the sort of alternative 
choice information I'm talking about, so I've provided a couple more 
examples. These are Procedures from Sun tool documentation, and illustrate
the use of Alternatives/Branches very well. 
	
I hope this clarification answers your question,	
(^:
Sabine-

===============================================================================
EXAMPLE #1:
==============

<procedure>
<title> To Change the Alignment of the Table </title>

<note><para> The default table width is the width of the document text column. 
You 
do not need to set the table width if this is the width you want for your 
table. </para></note>

<step><para> In the document window, click to the right of the opening 
<literal> &lt;table></literal> or <literal>&lt;informaltable></literal> tag.
      </para></step>
<step><para> Press Control-A (or choose Modify Attributes from the Markup 
menu.</para>
      <para> The Modify Attributes dialog box appears. </para> </step>
<step><para> Set the <emphasis>pgwide</emphasis> attribute to the desired table 
width or alignment.
      <alternatives>
      <branch><para>To set the table to the width of the page, set the attribute 
to 1.</para></branch>
      <branch><para> To reset the table to the width of the text column, set the 
               attribute to 0.</para>
               <para> The table will be aligned with the previous element
               (useful for tables within steps and lists). </para></branch>
      <branch><para> To align the table with the left margin of the text column,
               leave the attribute blank. </para></branch>
      </alternatives> </step>
<step><para> Click OK. </para></step>
</precedure>
          
               
This will look like:
=====================

 To change the alignment of the Table
 
Note:  

The default table width is the width of the document text column. You 
do not need to set the table width if this is the width you want for your 
table. 

1. In the document window, click to the right of the opening <table>
   or <informaltable> tag. 

2. Press control-A (or choose Modify Attributes from the Markup menu. 

   The Modify Attributes dialog box appears.

3. Set the pgwide attribute to the desired table width or alignment.
      
      * To set the table to the width of the page, set the attribute to 1.
      * To reset the table to the width of the text column, set the attribute 
        to 0.
               
        The table will be aligned with the previous element (useful for
        tables within steps and lists).
         
      * To align the table with the left margin of the text column, leave the 
        attribute blank. 
  
4. Click OK. 


Example #2:
================

<procedure>
<title>To Fix Missing IDs</title>

<step><para>At the book level, choose Check IDs from the Tools menu.</para>
      <para>The ID References panel appears.</para></step>
<step><para>Click the plus sign (+) next to the Errors Summary.</para></step>
<step><para>Double-click the word MISSING in the error to go to the missing ID 
                                                       listing.</para></step>
<step><para>Double-click the number in the Number of References column to go to
                               the reference to the missing ID.</para></step>
<step><para>Fix the missing ID.</para>
           <alternatives>
           <branch><para>If the reference to the missing ID is no longer 
necessary,
                                              delete it.</para></branch>
           <branch><para>If the reference is necessary but the element to which 
it
                                            refers has a new ID:</para>
                       <substeps>
                       <step><para>Delete the reference.</para></step>
                       <step><para>In the book file, choose Link Editor from 
                                           the Tools menu</para></step>
                       <step><para>Find the element in the list that appears in 
Link Editor, 
                                  double-click it, and double-click where you 
                                  want the reference to appear.</para></step>
                             </substeps></branch></alternatives>
</step>
</procedure>

This will look like:
=========================

To Fix Missing IDs

1. At the book level, choose Check IDs from the Tools menu.

   The ID References panel appears.
   
2. Click the plus sign (+) next to the Errors Summary

3. Double-click the word MISSING in the error to go to the missing ID 
   listing.
   
4. Double-click the number in the Number of References column to go to
   the reference to the missing ID.

5. Fix the missing ID
           
   * If the reference to the missing ID is no longer necessary, delete it.
   
   * If the reference is necessary but the element to which it
     refers has a new ID:
                   
     a. Delete the reference.
     
     b. In the book file, choose Link Editor from the Tools Menu
   
     c. Find the element in the list that appears in Link Editor, 
        double-click it, and double-click where you  want the reference to 
        appear.

         


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